Californian Kitesurfer, Ian Alldredge touches down this morning for his first visit to New Zealand. He has high hopes for big waves and strong winds during his 10 day trip around the North Island, his first to New Zealand.Media Statement
For Immediate Release
09 November 2012

California Waveman drawn to NZ for big wave adventure

Californian Kitesurfer, Ian Alldredge touches down this morning for his first visit to New Zealand. He has high hopes for big waves and strong winds during his 10 day trip around the North Island, his first to New Zealand.

Alldredge, 24, is at the top of his game, the cutting edge of wave-kiting. He loves ‘pushing the limits of riding waves to the highest level” and is keen to bridge the gap between surfing and kitesurfing.

Known for his incredible ‘strapless airs’, Allredge uses the power of the wave and his kite to gain serious altitude, doing ‘tricks’ while in mid-air, including an almost unbelievable 720 degree spin.

“If kitesurfing were a poker game, Ian Alldredge would be at the final table, holding an ace-high royal flush, with a mountain of chips sitting in front of him”, according to well known kitesurfing magazine, SBC Kiteboard.

Kitesurfing is an adventure watersport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or kiteboard (similar to a wakeboard).

The sport was introduced to New Zealand in 2001 and is gaining more and more converts, with approximately 5,000 New Zealander riders. Mid-air manoeuvres include tricks with names such as the ‘back-mobe’, ‘F16’ and ‘KGB’.

In recent years there has been a growing trend towards kitesurfing on waves and New Zealand conditions are very well suited to this pursuit. Spots like Auckland’s Muriwai Beach, Taranaki’s Kina Road and Ahipara’s Shipwreck Bay are among the many popular locations for this fast-growing sport.

Ben Wilson, founder of Ben Wilson Surf, Ian’s sponsor, has an informal world record for kiteboarding on a monster wave with a 40 foot ‘face’ at Cloudbreak, Namotu, Fiji in 2011. Wilson’s team have even designed a board with Alldredge, called the “TDZ”.

The board is strong, thin and fast allowing better wave performance.

Alldredge notes, “Every session is different and conditions are always changing. This is one of many keys into what makes this board so significant.”

Perhaps because of the great conditions here, New Zealand kitesurfers are building a strong reputation internationally, with riders finishing in the top 10 at the at the Kiteboard Racing world championships in Italy last month. Kitesurfing is also set to make its first appearance in the Rio Olympic Games in 2014.

Deane Joyce-Bradfield, who runs the BWS Jeep Kite School, based in Auckland, is excited by the visit, “To have a rider of Alldredge calibre here in New Zealand is going to be great for the sport. Even as an experienced rider, I am looking to get some tips from Ian one of his NZ training clinics.”

A group of kitesurfers will be travelling with Alldredge during his trip to New Zealand, and they will be seeking out the best spots for the conditions each day.

The BWSNZ team will hold free training clinics for riders in the Auckland area in the weekend of the 17th of November. Riders can watch the BWSNZ Facebook Page for more information as the location for these clinics will depend on the wind and wave conditions at the time. www.facebook.com\BWSNZ

ENDS

About BWSNZ

BWS NZ is the distributor for Ben Wilson Surf (BWS) products in NZ. BWS is the only surf-specific brand building surf-kiting equipment. Their equipment is designed by riders with a strong focus on customer satisfaction.

Whether crew are chasing offshore reefs, blown out beaches, new locations, or just chilling at home, BWS want them to have the best possible equipment for their needs.

BWS have been the leader in surf kiting for over 5 years and staff experience as riders has set the standard for equipment of the future, both in terms innovation and value.